The Couples Dilemma
by cold fingers
Summary: Hinata tries to figure out a way to let Kiba and Shino come with them to the mall. Even if it is a couples only day out. Mhmm...


It was currently lunchtime at Konoha High School, where all the students bunched up in the cafeteria. Students fought over food, arguments commenced, and the teachers ignored it all. For instance, Iruka-sensei and Kakashi-sensei were having an intense staring contest. The winner would decide where they were going to eat after school ended. Gai-sensei was proclaiming his love to the school and how Extremely Youthful the students were, even as a meatball flew past his face. It was a battlefield, but no one did anything about it. And somewhere amidst all that was a group ignoring it all.

The group was a strange one, with strange people in it. One of them was in love with ramen, another just spent life staring at clouds, one of the girls couldn't last a day without checking her pocket mirror every five seconds; the list went on and on.

There were thirteen of them that day. Thirteen students of different ages, hanging out at the same table. Temari was the oldest of the bunch, the senior. The only reason why she hanged out with the underclassmen was because of her boyfriend, Shikamaru. He was the laziest one who daydreamed and stared at clouds. How they even hooked up is another story for another day. Usually, Temari didn't join them for lunch, since she had her own set of friends, but today was an exception.

Shikamaru stayed with his friend Chouji, whose girlfriend was Ino, who was best friends and rival with Sakura, who never let go of Sasuke like he was her lifeline, who felt like he needed to annoy Naruto, because if he didn't do it, who would? From there, Naruto finally got the idea that Hinata liked him, even though it's been four years, who was never without Kiba and Shino. Neji felt like it was his duty to stay beside Hinata. Well, most of the time. He had a life, too. He and Tenten were an item, and Lee was best friends with the both of them. He took after Gai-sensei, always shouting how Youthful it was that they 'found' each other.

Basically, everyone had their significant other except for Kiba, Shino, and Lee.

On that day, it was decided that they would have a dates only Saturday, and go to the mall. The girls would go shopping while the boys had to carry their bags around. And that's where our story begins, finally.

"But what about Kiba and Shino?" Hinata had long gotten rid of her stutter. Sakura had told her that everyone looked down at her like the girl who couldn't take care of herself, just because of her stutter. "And Lee?" She added after a second thought.

"What about them?" Naruto asked.

"Can't they come also?"

Sakura sighed, "It's couples only, Hinata, couples only."

"But-"

Shino cut in to the conversation, "It's okay. I'll hang out at Kiba's. We're working together on Kakashi-sensei's project."

"I can't go anyways," Lee added, "I have Tae Kwan Do on Saturdays."

"NANI?? Kakashi-sensei's project? What project? When is it due? Who am I working with? Why wasn't I informed that there was a project?" Naruto started hyperventilating. He couldn't afford to get another F.

"Calm down, Naruto. It isn't due until another three weeks. I've already finished mine, and it was easy. Even for you, it'll just take you a week to do," Sakura interjected, calming Naruto down. Everyone knew how important spending time with Iruka-sensei was to him, since he rewarded Naruto with ramen if he passed in a class. And because finals were coming up, they hardly spent time together, except for their ramen nights.

"I'm your partner. I thought you knew already," Shikamaru stated with a lazy drawl. "It's just like you to forget."

"You're the genius one around here. You're supposed to know I'd forget."

"Ugh, this is troublesome."

By that time, the bell rang, and everyone left to go to their classes.

* * *

During classes, Hinata was distracted. That was unusual for the Hyuuga heir, since she strived for good grades, and therefore always paid attention and took notes. It wasn't fair for Kiba and Shino that they were always left out of everything. _Oh yeah, and Lee. Mustn't forget about Lee._

It wasn't until her last period, English, that she found out the solution.

* * *

"You -_gasp_- guys! Wait -_breathe here_- up!" But Hinata knew they weren't going anywhere. They always waited for each other. Except, since the discovery of her oh-so incredible, why-didn't-anyone-think-of-it-sooner plan, Hinata couldn't wait to introduce it to the others. Especially to Kiba and Shino. She bolted from English the moment the bell sounded and ran to their meeting place.

"What Hinata?" Naruto asked in a worried tone.

"I've got it. The solution to the couples only thing. I couldn't stop thinking about it. But then I got it in English. It's a way to keeping the couples only rule, and letting Kiba and Shino come with us!" And with that, Hinata smiled a smile worthy of Naruto.

"What is it Hinata?" Kiba said inquisitively.

"What are you going to do? Find them girlfriends?" Ino couldn't see how they could find Shino a girlfriend. Kiba, maybe, but Shino? Of course he was nice, but if you didn't know him, anyone would think of him as creepy.

"No, this is simpler and easier."

"Oohhh, whatcha gonna do?" Sakura wondered, while clinging tightly to Sasuke.

"Hn." Which translated into, Sakura, you have to let go of me before my arm falls off. But apparently, Sakura did not have a masters degree in **Uchiha Translation**, and continued to hang on his arm. Sasuke had a reputation to keep, so he kept a straight face and didn't say a word.

"We hook them up with...each other!"

**Thud**

Everyone turned to see Kiba on the floor. Shino would've been lying down next to him, but he was too calm, cool, and collected for that. He knew how to keep his emotions inside him.

"Yes! That is the most perfect plan in the world!" Tenten squealed, because she thought that gay people were the coolest.

"IT IS HIP AND MODERN AND THE SPRINGTIME OF YOUTH," Lee shouted, but no one could understand what he was trying to say.

"How are -_munch_- we going to -_munch_- do that?" Chouji inquired. Suddenly, everyone turned to Shikamaru. Well, almost everyone. Kiba was still lying on the ground, and Shino was just standing there in a dazed, yet calm, cool, and collected stance. Except no one could tell with his glasses.

"Why is everyone looking at me? Geez this is troublesome."

"Because, Shikamaru, you're the genius...remember?" Ino answered. "Ya know, for someone so smart, you're really dumb about some things."

Shikamaru just stared at Ino, then asked, "Hinata, what about Lee?"

"Uhh..." She whispered in Shikamaru's ear. "He already has Gai-sensei. I think it's fine"

Shikamaru then started to stare at Hinata, as if she grew another arm.

"What?" Hinata asked.

"Never mind. Look, sorry Hinata, but I can't do this. It's too troublesome, and besides, I'm not a matchmaker."

"Don't worry Hinata. It's a great idea. We girls will handle it," Sakura stated. The four girls huddled together in a corner and whispered to each other.

_"They hang out together as if they were already together."_

_"I know! You never see one without the other."_

_"So girls, how are we going to do this?"_

_"Well it isn't like this is a secret, since Shino and Kiba were there when Hinata told us about the plan. We don't need to be subtle about it."_

_"Awww..."_

_"Get a grip Tenten."_

_"Fine."_

_"Why don't we use the old Push n' Shove?"_

_"The Push n' Shove?"_

_"Don't worry Hinata. Just watch Sakura and I do it. It has a 87-percent chance of working. We've done it before anyways. Remember?_

_"You mean when Neji and Tenten got together?"_

_"HEY!"_

Shino managed to get Kiba off the floor during the groups conversation. The other guys looked at them intently, as it dawned on them that the two really did spend a lot of time together. Why haven't they ever noticed it before? Suddenly, it was as if a magical force told them to have an eight-way staring contest. It was a battle of endurance.

Shikamaru dropped out first and complained it was too troublesome to keep his eyes opened. Then Naruto, followed by Chouji. Even though Shino wore his shades, everyone knew he was honest. He was fourth to fall. After was Kiba, and then Lee. He exclaimed that because he lost, he would run one hundred laps around the school.

It was a war between Sasuke and Neji. The former tried his best to fight the feeling of tired eyes. The latter looked calm, with no looks of worry on his face. It wasn't surprising when he won.

"You always win, Neji! It isn't fair," Naruto complained, with Kiba argreeing. It was as if Hinata never said anything ten minutes ago.

"Che. It is destiny that I will always win and you will always lose," Neji stated.

"Whatever," and he stuck his tongue out at Neji.

"Soo...Shino, Kiba, what are you going to do?" Shikamaru asked.

"Uhhhhh...," Kiba said as he sighed. "I'm not gay. Shino is just my really, really, really, really, really good friend."

"I'm not gay either," Shino added. There was a moment of silence.

Suddenly, Kiba and Shino were pushed together. Everyone saw Sakura and Ino's hands outstretched, behind them.

_Success!_ Inner Sakura shouted.

Except, instead of a hopeful kiss the girls were waiting to see, and the envisioned statements of love, Shino and Kiba slammed each other in the heads.

_Or maybe not._

"Geez! What the heck was that for?" Kiba exclaimed as he rubbed his head. He glared at the two.

Shino understood what just took place and explained to Hinata, "Look, Hinata, Kiba and I aren't gay. I'm straight, he's straight, and the chances of me and him getting together are the same as when Naruto will never eat ramen again."

"AWWWW...It would have been nice to see you two together," All of Tenten's dreams were destroyed. Well, not really. She still has her internet. A few months ago, she discovered a really cool site called FanFiction. It satisfied her needs. (But don't tell Neji.)

"Alright. I just thought it would be cool to have all of us together at the mall," Hinata sighed.

"Why don't we plan another day, where we all can go?" Neji advised.

"Sure!"

"Darn, I thought the Push n' Shove would work. It did last time," Ino mused. She then got pummeled by Tenten.


End file.
